


The Only Thing I Know

by McMasar79



Category: AU - Fandom, Women's Soccer RPF
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-10-20
Updated: 2015-12-25
Packaged: 2018-04-27 05:03:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 14,164
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5034823
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/McMasar79/pseuds/McMasar79
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After a poor start to the NWSL with the Chicago Red Stars Ella Masar is confronted with the choice of life as a reserve player or to walk away from the game she loves and the only thing she knows how to be, a soccer player.  An undiagnosed injury makes the decision easy and even a phone call from Randy Waldrum can't change her mind.  So as she watches the love of her life start out with the leagues expansion team Ella focuses on her recovery and return to full fitness.  At the end of the second year of NWSL soccer the Dash are bottom of the table and with Ella now fully fit it is time for a second chance.  Can Ella join Erin's team in Houston and help them to something great?  She knows it won't all be smooth sailing but with Erin beside her she's ready to give it everything she has to prove her doubters wrong.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

As Erin pulled up into the parking lot of the training facility she eyed her partner as she turned off the engine. “You ready for this?” She asked knowing how nervous Ella was about meeting the team for the first time.

Ella took a breath and nodded. It wasn’t just that she was coming back into professional soccer after a year off but she was coming into a team that had really struggled last season.

The Houston Dash had come last in the league but on the flip side of that it allowed them to bring in one of the new stars of American soccer Morgan Brian. She also knew Carli Lloyd had been traded from the New York Flash at the end of last season so Randy Waldrum was building a solid midfield. 

But there had been a lot of changes in the off season and the full line up was yet to be confirmed with open try outs being held over the next two days before the full roster had to be submitted to the NWSL for the forth coming season.

Ella had played with the Chicago Red Stars for a number of years including the inaugural NWSL season when she had first met Erin McLeod her girlfriend of two and a half years now. While that first season hadn’t been Ella’s best with her form in front of goal fading midway through the season and her time on the pitch reduced to sitting out the last few games, Erin had shone in goal making a mark for herself in the league and when the expansion team was confirmed the Dash had traded another allocated player to get Erin on their team.

Ella had stood by Erin with the move as neither of them had been happy with the Red Stars those last few months. Their coach had informed Ella that she wouldn’t be required for them next season and while it had been devastating for Ella given all she had done for the club, she’d also known she was carrying an injury. 

Her coach Rory Dames had thought that was her excuse for a poor season but with her being dropped from the first team squad into the reserves Ella had spoken with the owner of the team and left the organisation altogether once the season was over.

Randy, Erin’s new coach at the Houston Dash had called her in late October to ask if she would be available in a trade or as part of the expansion draft. She’d been flattered but had declined his offer and stood by her decision to step away from the game. 

It was only after moving to Vancouver with Erin during the off season and joining her for a few mild training sessions at the Fortius facility in Burnaby that a conversation with one of Erin’s trainers led to her finding out she was carrying a sports hernia. It was a shock, to her and Erin because the medical staff at Chicago had told her she was just cramping up after games which had resulted in being told she wasn’t warming down properly.

Ella had just been thrilled that she had an answer to why she’d been in so much pain during the last part of her season after playing or even a hard training session. After getting the all clear by Chicago she’d put it down to her age, at twenty-seven she hadn’t been the oldest by a long way but she played full out in every game and took more knocks than most, and her recovery times just hadn’t been what they were when she’d been in college.

As it turned out, she’d been carrying a double hernia.

While Erin had been with the Canadian national team Ella had remained under the care of Fortius and for the first time in her years of training she had taken her recovery slow and followed the plan the trainers had developed for her.

She’d done everything right and was soon fully recovered and in better physical shape than she had been her whole life.

It was only after a poor Houston Dash season that Erin had started dropping hints that the team could use a player like her. The seed had been planted and now here she was about to take part in the open try outs for a place in the team.

Ella shook her head hardly believing it had come to this. She was possibly about to return to soccer and she’d be training and playing with Erin again. She wanted that. She’d enjoyed working as a soccer coach in Vancouver while she lived with Erin and then when the season started she’d moved down to Texas with Erin but stayed away from her team and the rest of the players.

So today would be the first time she had been around the rest of Erin's team. She wasn’t sure how that would go but as Erin was the team captain she hoped it wouldn’t put too much strain on relationships.

“You okay?” Erin asked as Ella stared out the windshield.

“Yeah. Nervous.” Ella admitted as she blew out a breath and gave her girlfriend a smile.

Erin rolled her eyes, she had trained with Ella the past few weeks and didn’t think her girlfriend had anything to worry about. There had been so many changes to the roster during the off season that it would almost feel like a new team, only this time Erin was more optimistic over how successful they could be. They’d lost Whitney and Becky but Carli Lloyd along with Morgan Brian would hopefully give the team the creativity to make more scoring chances.

She’d leave Randy to sort out her backline for her. 

“Let’s go, the sooner you get out there the easier this will be.” Erin told her as she stepped out of the car. It was early and the team meeting wasn’t due for another few hours so the plan was for Erin to let Ella get familiar with the set up and even get them out onto the training field for some practice before the rest of the team arrived.

xxxxx

“Oh, come on!” Meghan huffed as she spotted Erin McLeod’s car already in the parking lot. She turned off the car and scowled at her back seat passenger. “I thought you said she’d call you?”

Bianca yawned then rubbed at her eyes. It wasn’t even eight in the morning, she needed coffee before she had to deal with this. “She took pity on me, I’m all for that, in fact I would have liked you to have had the same thought.” She replied before getting out as a second car pulled in alongside them.

“So this clearly isn’t going to work.” Brittany Bock said as she got out of her own car with a few other girls.

“Let’s turn up early, she said. Let’s show Erin, she said.” Kealia Ohai said as Melissa came up behind her and put a comforting arm around her shoulder.

Meghan leaned against her car beside Morgan and crossed her arms over her chest as she pouted. Erin was a great captain but she also had a strong work ethic and it was normal for her to be the first to practice and the last to leave.

She and the others thought they’d surprise Erin today by beating her to their first team meeting today but obviously Erin had other ideas.

“So now what?” Morgan asked looking around at the other girls. This was her first day with the full team but she already knew a lot of the girls from national team camps. She, Meghan and Carli were currently playing on the national team but she’d played with Kealia before as well.

They all looked to Brittany as the oldest player amongst them.

Brittany shrugged. “I guess we go practice.”

Meghan sighed then pulled at Morgan as they went to grab their kit bags. 

As the group made their way into the training facility they got changed in the locker room before heading towards the Dome to see if Erin was there. It was early March and even for this far south it was still cold in the mornings. The Dome had a set temperature and was where they often practiced set piece drills.

xxxxx

Erin was in her long sleeved top and her shorts as she saved a few shots from Ella who was out half way to the centre circle. As she stepped out towards the penalty spot Ella smacked the ball at her foot and Erin had to scramble back to tip it over the bar as it looped above her.

“Nearly got you that time!” Ella called out, her voice clear in the empty Dome. They were playing on turf but given how long she’d played on Chicago's artificial pitch she was okay with it. It felt almost normal to her at least until they started playing scrummages on I, then she’d have to remind herself that turf burns were not fun. Or pretty.

“Yeah, yeah.” Erin said as she kicked another ball out to the midfield. She watched Ella control the bounce then tap it out in front of her before hitting it hard and sending it back towards her. Erin got her hands on it and pushed it away from the goal feeling the force of the hit sting her gloved hands.

Ella wasn’t just playing around. 

Jogging back to the centre circle where Ella had a bunch of soccer balls at the ready she touched one to the side a little then chipped it towards goal, it sailed up and she watched Erin scramble backwards and stick a hand up but the ball fell down behind the goal.

She nodded a little to herself then gestured to Erin. “Come out to the edge of the box.” She asked and waited for her girlfriend to step out. Then she pushed another ball away from her foot and hit it into the air. They both watched it for a moment before Erin was heading for her goal only this time as she reached up she only just managed to push it onto the bar and it bounced over.

So she had her range. Ella rolled another ball over to herself and eyed Erin. “You ready?”

Erin rubbed her gloves together and came half way out of her box. She nodded and watched closely as Ella started down the field towards her dribbling the ball at her feet.

As she was feeling good Ella added a few twists and turns as if she was dodging around defenders before she raced for the box and in on goal. Normally she would slow a little and force Erin to come out so she could chip the ball over her and into the net but Erin had gotten wise to that game during the off season and now she waited for Ella to make the first move.

But that was okay. Good forwards didn’t see the keeper much anyway just the open spaces of the goal. As Ella came into the box at full speed and angled her run to one side, forcing Erin to come out and narrow the angle but it was already too late as Ella curled the ball around Erin’s outstretched hands and into the far corner of the goal.

“Yes!!” Ella yelled and ran back towards the halfway line with her hands up in the air.

Erin chuckled to herself as she retrieved the ball from the back of the net and punted it in Ella's general direction. “You got lucky with that one.” She called out.

Ella rolled her eyes and went for the ball rolling towards her this time she took a touch to push it out in front of her then another to send it forward before she hit for goal as hard as she could.

Erin barely had time to get her feet set before she was diving for the ball, managing to get her fingers to it only to fall to the turf and glance back at the ball hitting the net. “Damn.” She muttered to herself. She was definitely getting a workout this morning, Ella was buzzing and if she played this way at the tryouts this afternoon no one on the team would be able to complain when she was selected.

Not that it worried Erin, Randy already told her he would have Ella on the team if he could but after her season away the open tryouts were more a formality than a requirement but Ella wanted to prove to herself and to the Dash that she was worthy of a spot on their roster.

So everyone was going along with it more for Ella’s sake than Randy’s.

“You want to practice PK’s?” Erin asked as Ella moved closer to her. Ella had never been a PK taker in any of the teams she'd played on but it was good to work on them anyway.

Ella smirked as she came into the box. “If you’re ready for the humiliation to begin then sure, best out of five then we can take a break?” 

Erin slapped her gloved hands together as Ella placed a soccer ball on the spot. “You’re on.” She then crouched her stance a little and waited, she had some pride to earn back.

xxxxx

“Did we get a new forward?” Bianca asked as she watched the penalty kicks from the other end of the field. Everyone had changed into their training gear expecting to find Erin in here on her own practicing her goal kicks.

No one had expected the woman currently wearing a Dash training top.

Kealia frowned as she eyed the back of the newcomer. She didn’t recognise the woman but she obviously wasn’t the newly brought in Jess McDonald, and it wasn’t Tiff or Stephanie Ochs either. She didn’t mind having competition for her place on the team but this was her second year and she was hoping Randy would start using her as the centre forward where she could score more goals.

She’d even declined a U23 national training camp during the off season to focus on her own training for coming back.

“Wow.” Morgan muttered with wide eyes as she watched the ball get drilled into the net as Erin dived to the side of the goal.

Brittany winced knowing how seriously Erin took letting a goal in. “Come on, let’s go introduce ourselves and see what’s going on.”

Erin pulled the ball out of the net once more and rolled it back to the penalty spot for Ella’s next shot. “Like I said, lucky.” 

“Aww.” Ella smiled at her girlfriend and held her arms out. She loved watching Erin pout, it was especially cute when it was accompanied by such an adorable scowl. “Someone needs a hug.” She said, grinning and gesturing for Erin to come over so she could wrap her in her arms.

Erin sighed, she was tempted but maybe after training. “Last one, and if I save it you owe me a massage after this or I’ll never make it to the team meeting.”

Ella bit her lip to hold in a laugh. “Okay, last one, then we can hit the ice baths if you’re feeling delicate old lady.” She added just to annoy Erin. It worked as she heard her tut before getting into place.

Deciding to have some fun with her girlfriend and lighten the mood a little as she went to strike the ball Ella turned at the last second and used her heel to hit the ball without even looking where it would go. As she turned back around she saw it trickle towards the goal line with Erin already on the ground at the other side of the goal. The keeper scrambled to her feet but it was already too late, the ball rolled in for the goal.

“Nooo!” Erin yelled as she put her hands on her head in despair.

“I win!” Came the victory shout as Ella pulled her top up over her face and raced around the box it was only then that Ella realised she’d seen a group of women near the halfway line and she stopped cold and pulled her jersey back down.

Erin had spotted the others too and waved a hand as she started to pull her gloves off. “Hey guys!”

Brit waved back from where they were watching the PKs. She and some of the others started walking towards Erin only to stop when they noticed Meghan Klingenberg hadn’t moved and was staring at the dark haired player in the box.

“Meg?” Morgan asked as she came up to her best friend. 

Meghan shook her head still staring at Ella. “Mom?”

Erin had paused next to her girlfriend but on hearing Meghan she turned to Ella and raised an eyebrow wondering what that was about, she hadn’t thought Ella knew anyone on the team except Jess and Carli, they'd both played against Bianca but they’d never really talked much off of the soccer pitch.

So Erin didn’t know where the connection to Meghan came from or the nickname she’d just used.

Kaelia looked at Brittany and mouthed the word ‘mom’ but Brit just shrugged back at her.

Meghan saw Ella blush and watch her nervously and she couldn’t believe what she was seeing, it really was her. “Oh my god!” She said before racing down the rest of the field and jumping into Ella’s arms.

The others watched on feeling curious and confused.

“You know that’s not really her mom, right?” Morgan felt the need to state having met Meghan’s parents before. This was definitely not her mother. 

Bianca snorted and gave Morgan a pat on the back. “That my young friend is Ella Masar, she used to play for Erin’s old team.” She explained having recognised the forward as they got closer, she looked a lot different than the last time she’d seen her but then that had been over a year ago.

She grinned and started jogging over towards her friend, now understanding why Erin hadn’t gone out very often with the team last season. Erin hadn’t been as single as she had thought.

As she came up to the taller keeper she slapped her on the arm. “You kept that one quiet.” She whispered to her with a beaming smile.

Erin tried not to blush but it didn’t help seeing the knowing look B was giving her. So she ignored her and waited for the others to catch up as she noticed Ella step back a little as she still held on to Meghan tightly. She’d have to get the story behind that but first she was going to greet the rest of the team.

“Hey guys, glad you could make it. Late is better than not at all.” She told them with a serious expression on her face as her hands went to her hips.

The girls groaned.

“Okay, laps it is, let’s go!” Erin said enthusiastically before ushering the group into a jog around the outside out the marked pitch.

“What about?” Morgan started to ask, pointing back to where Ella and Meghan were still hugging.

Erin pushed the younger girl from behind wanting to give Ella and Meghan some space. “If you don’t start jogging we can do suicides instead.” She warned.

Kaelia and Melissa eyed each other before they both grabbed onto Mogan and pulled her along with them earning a laugh from Erin and the others.

Meghan had her head tucked into Ella’s neck as she gripped the forward tightly. “I can’t believe you’re here.” She muttered.

Ella closed her eyes and hugged the girl back. She hadn’t spoken to Meghan in a few years and hadn’t been sure of what kind of reception she was going to get. Frankly she’d thought the younger girl was just going to ignore her and pretend they had never met. Which, while it would have hurt, would have been understandable.

MagicJack was not a good memory for either of them even though Meghan had been traded away after only two games into the season. By then the scars were already pretty deep.

“I’m so sorry.” Meghan went on to whisper.

“Hey.” Ella said tightening her hold on the defender. “None of that, you’ve got nothing to be sorry for, nothing.” She continued.

Meghan pulled back and Ella set her down on her feet but kept her arms around her. Meghan wiped at her face as tears rolled down her cheeks. “I should have said something.” She said, her eyes begging for forgiveness.

Ella shook her head quickly then brought her hands up to cup Meghan's face forcing eye contact. “No. Don’t think like that, you were out and at a new club. I don’t blame you for a second for leaving that behind.”

“I left you behind too.” Meghan bemoaned as her eyes began to water again. Thinking back to her time at that club still made her sick to her stomach but she’d also met Ella and it might have only been for a few weeks but Ella had done a lot for her and she’d repaid that by never speaking publicly about what had happened at that club.

She’d left so early into the season that most reporters had over looked her and the few that had asked never got an answer other than her stock response that she hadn’t been there long.

Ella grinned and wiped a tear away with her thumb. “You did, and look at you now Miss All Star American, making it in the national team.” Ella said proudly.

Meghan chuckled as she felt herself blush. That had only been recent, she’d played her socks off over in Europe with Whitney Engen before she’d joined the Dash midway through last season and found herself called up into the national squad during the following off season where she’d played herself into a starting position in the back line.

“Thanks.” She muttered looking away.

Ella giggled. “Wow, still can’t take praise can you?”

Meghan shrugged. 

Ella let her chuckles fade and gave a quick look to see Erin and the other girls coming back down the pitch. “Listen, we can talk tonight or whenever you want or don’t want. But you still have nothing to be sorry for, so what do you say we join the rest of the group before we get called out for slacking?”

Meghan wiped at her face again and smiled at Ella. She then tugged at the dark coloured hair. “I almost didn’t recognise you like this.”

“It’s still my walk right?” Ella knew her posture on the field was very distinctive but it worked for her.

Meghan chuckled even as Ella fake glared at her. “It’s more of a duck waddle.”

Ella huffed and pushed Meghan away from her who just laughed and pushed her back.

“I’ve changed my mind,” Ella said. “We’re not friends anymore.” And with that she jogged over and joined the group of girls just as they came level and continued running with them around the pitch as Meghan raced to catch up.

“Decided to join us?” Erin asked as Ella kept pace beside her.

“Gotta show these kids how it’s done, right Brit?” Ella said glancing back to Bock who she’d known since she was a kid although they’d never played on a team together.

Brittany laughed. “Sure.”

As the captain and the oldest there Erin felt the need to press home Ella’s point as Kealia and Bianca snorted. “Last around the pitch is the team slave for the day.” She informed the group before taking off at speed.

Ella glanced back at the others before chasing after her girlfriend a second later. 

“They’re kidding right?” Morgan asks looking at Kealia, Mel and Meghan.

They all looked at Brittany who shrugged at them even as Bianca took off. “Well I guess you can stay here and find out.” She told them before picking up her own pace. There was no way she was going to follow Erin’s orders all day long, their team captain had a very strange sense of humour.

“We running aren’t we?” Morgan asked pitifully, this was not how she wanted to start her day off with her new team.

“Oh yeah.” Meghan confirmed and they all started after their captain.

“Is it always like this?” Morgan asked as they managed to chase down Brit and were working their way towards Bianca. Erin and Ella were still clearly out in the lead.

Meghan shrugged. Erin liked them all to put as much into their training as possible, especially when it was just the defensive group together.

But now with Ella around.

It was going to be an interesting season.


	2. Chapter 2

Erin put her hand gently to Ella’s back as she guided her into the large conference room where the team was meeting with Randy and the rest of the technical staff. The meeting wasn’t due to run long but along the back of the room a selection of breakfast foods, teas and coffees had been set out and most of group that came in with them quickly headed over.

“Such children.” Erin muttered with a shake of her head.

Ella snorted and gave her girlfriend a look. “So you don’t want anything then?”

“I never said that.” Erin replied hurriedly. They’d left their apartment without eating, they’d only really stuck around long enough to get Max walked and to leave his food bowl ready for when he noticed. He'd grumpily returned to his bed after his walk, not welcoming the early start to his day.

They were all going to have to readjust.

Ella hummed and headed for the back table now that most of the hungry horde had already left for seats around the room. She eyed the fruit and what looked to be bran muffins then sighed as she realised her flaw in going alone. She couldn’t carry her food and coffee too.

“Can I get that?”

Ella turned and saw Meghan stood there. She eyed her for a second before she realised that Meghan was offering to help her back to the seats with her food. “Oh.” She glance around the defender to see Erin sat down with two empty seats beside her and then Morgan Brian who looked to be eating for three people.

Chuckling Ella poured out two coffees and handed them over then selected two muffins and a piece of fruit. “Thanks.”

Meghan just smiled and followed Ella around to where they were sitting and handed both the drinks off to Erin before taking the free seat between Ella and Morgan.

Ella eyed the food in Morgan’s lap. “Feeling hungry?” She teased.

“No, this is…”

Meghan giggled and reached over to take back her own food as Morgan blushed. “If she’s lucky I might let her have something.”

Morgan rolled her eyes and shuffled her feet as she looked down. When she glanced back up she looked across the room and spotted her international and now club teammate Carli Lloyd sat there on her cell phone.

Erin looked on expectantly as Ella sat down beside her. “What’d you bring me?” She asked.

Ella bit her lip to keep from laughing as she handed over the banana she had in her hand.

Erin pouted, she was starving, they’d had an early dinner last night and no breakfast this morning and all she was getting was a banana? She eyed the two muffins Ella still had in her possession.

“Are one of those for me?” She asked hopefully as she quirked an eyebrow up.

“No.” Ella replied with a shake of her head and took a bite of one of the muffins in her hands. She waited and saw Erin slump a little in her seat, it made her roll her eyes at herself. She didn’t know if it was the pathetic look or just that Erin accepted her answer. Whatever it was it made her stomach twist before she handed over the second muffin to her girlfriend. It was always going to be Erin’s anyway she was just trying to torture her a little first.

Erin smirked and sat up and took a quick bite of her prize before Ella got any second thoughts and took it back. She smiled at Ella and made happy sounds as she chewed making her girlfriend laugh.

Meghan watched the pair then turned to Morgan. “I feel like we’re sitting at the kids table.” She whispered.

Morgan, one of the youngest in the room, glanced around then narrowed her eyes at her friend.

Meghan winced then gave Morgan a shrug before going back to her coffee. 

Ella grinned having heard Meghan’s comment, she was just about to give her more stick when she felt Erin’s lips at her ear.

“I’ll have to thank you later, I was hungry.” Erin whispered as she made sure her lips ‘accidently’ brushed against Ella’s ear as she spoke. Then she move away again just as Randy Waldrum and his assistant coaches Hiro and Marcelo entered the room.

Ella spotted the coaches as well and settled for pinching Erin on the thigh as payback. 

Erin flinched but let it go as Randy made his way to the empty space in front of the players that were seated in a semi-circle.

“Okay, I’ll make this as quick as I can, I know this isn’t a day many of you look forward to,” He ignored the groans from his players and smiled back at them. “But I’d like to take a moment and welcome some new faces to the team as well as some old ones.”

Ella coughed. “Carli Lloyd.” She muttered and coughed again. It was a joke but she watched everyone stare back at her as if she was out of her mind, including her new coach.

“You’ve got to be shitting me!” Carli had heard that comment as well and started to glare over at the voice only to see a grinning face looking right back at her. A face she recognised after a moment of uncertainty. She got up out of her seat and marched over.

Randy cleared his throat hoping to calm one of the new stars of his team down in order to try and prevent any bloodshed before breakfast was even over. “Now, I’m sure she didn’t mean anything by that.”

Meghan’s eyes widened as Carli headed over looking angry. She fidgeted in her seat wondering if she should get up and say something, maybe stand in from of Ella so Carli could cool down. Ella was clearly just trying to make a joke. But before she could decide what to do Ella stood up herself and the room seemed to freeze as everyone held their breath and waited to see what was about to happen.

Ella felt herself blush slightly as she now had the whole room’s attention. She wasn’t sure how this was going to go down with the rest of her new team but there wasn’t much she could do about it now. But she made a mental note to leave the jokes for the training ground in future. Or maybe just until she knew the rest of the women in the room better.

Carli came up to Ella and stopped for a second before she grinned back at her and they hugged. “What are you doing here?” She asked just as Ella tightened her hold and lifted her off of her feet. “Put me down you asshole.” She said and smacked Ella lightly on the shoulder as they both giggled.

“Hey.” Ella said as they stood there staring at each other. It had to be at least six years since she had last seen the woman in front of her. “You look good.” She continued still grinning.

Carli snorted. “Yeah? You mean for an old lady?”

“Well…” Ella rocked her head and made a face as she wiggled her hand out in front of her. “Kinda.”

Carli rolled her eyes and crossed her arms over her chest.

Morgan was really confused now, she’d understood that Ella had once played with Erin McLeod before Erin had joined the Dash last year, but that didn’t explain how Meghan and now Carli knew her as well. And from the looks from some of the other players in the room she wasn’t the only one that didn’t get it.

“Like seriously, who is she?” She whispered to Meghan as quietly as she could.

Randy cleared his throat loudly and pulled the waist band of his trousers up a little trying his best to regain control of the room. “Now that we have that settled, I have information packs for y’all at the front of the room here.” He pointed to the stack of white envelopes on a side table. “There’s also some forms we need you guys to fill out and get back to us today. Anyone that didn’t receive a team email yesterday see Hiro and make sure we have your details right.” He glanced around at each of the faces now focused in his direction. That was better. He just chose to ignore that Carli Lloyd was now sitting on his trialist’s lap. “We’ll have a few more players joining us in the next few weeks but we’re also having open tryouts today and tomorrow.” Another collective groan sounded in the room. 

Randy put his hand up to stop the complaints before he got any. “You are all free to leave after your physicals.” Now that smiles. “But,” He went on. “If a few of you could volunteer to stick around and help out it’ll make a difference to some of these players to know that they could one day be playing alongside you.” He gave them all a look to remind them that open tryouts could be a position a few of them might one day find themselves in if they hadn’t already.

Erin stuck her hand up. “I’ll play.”

Carli rolled her eyes and went back to her phone. There was no way she was risking injury by getting involved in a scrimmage with a bunch of try hards.

“Me too.” Meghan said as she put her hand up as well. Morgan followed her friends lead and stuck her hand up too. A few others put their hands up as well but when Meghan glanced over she saw Ella’s hand hadn’t lifted.

Ella caught the look and stopped nudging Carli with her finger as she kept refusing to put her hand up.

“I’m playing in the tryouts already.” She explained.

Meghan tilted her head wondering why Ella would be doing that before she realised that Ella didn’t have a club anymore and hadn’t been part of the NWSL since Erin had left the Chicago Red Stars. “Oh, okay, do I get to be on your team?”

Ella giggled and went back to annoying Carli. “Maybe.” She answered then pressed her finger at that spot just under Carli’s ribs that made the older player flinch away from her.

“Now I remember why we haven’t spoken in so long.” Carli grumbled before she lifted her cell phone and made a face as she caught the image of Ella laughing behind her shoulder. She showed the image to Ella. “I’m going to post that.” She warned.

Ella shook her head and pulled at Erin’s sleeve to get her to lean over into her. She then gestured to Carli. “Take another but try and smile this time.”

Carli eyed Erin for a second before turning back around and taking the shot of the three of them. She had no intention of posting that picture, they all looked too happy in it. Or maybe she would, she could do a before and after shots and see how happy they looked after being put through the fitness testing.

“Can you send me that one?” Erin asked as she pulled out her own cell phone and gave Carli her number. 

“You want it too?” Carli asked as she finally got up off of Ella. She wasn’t surprised when Ella shook her head. 

“Erin will send it to me.” Ella replied as she picked up the few wrappers and empty coffee cartons to dump in the recycle bin.

Carli watched Ella move off to dump the rubbish and looked at Erin who was grinning down at her phone.

Feeling eyes on her Erin looked up and saw Carli staring at her. She wiggled her cell phone at the midfielder. “Her brother will get a kick out of that.” She said having uploaded the picture onto Ella’s Instagram account. Most of their photos ended up on Ella’s page because Erin tried to use hers mostly as a promotion site for her artwork and Peau de Loup, the clothing company she was part of.

Some of her personal pictures did make it onto her page but generally those were ones Ella wasn’t part of.

Maybe she’d have to start changing that.

“You two dating?” Carli asked straight out knowing Ella was going to be back any second.

Erin stared at Carli wide eyed before rubbing at the back of her neck. Dating sounded sort of immature for what she and Ella were, they weren't casual like the word ‘dating’ made them sound. Erin hoped to be marrying Ella one day soon. Then they’d be married and they’d each have rings on their fingers that no one would question their commitment to each other.

“Kinda.” She replied to Carli with a shrug. “Partners sounds better I think.” She didn’t like the transient sound of dating, she was pretty sure Ella was it for her. None of her previous relationship had been anywhere near as strong as what she had with Ella. 

Carli tilted her head and gave Ella a look as she came back over.

“What?” Ella asked looking between them. “Do I have something on my face?” She asked as she handed over Erin’s envelope to her. She’d also check with Hiro and the team had both hers and Erin’s detail right.

“I thought you were with a guy?” Carli said as she heard Erin suck in a breath. 

Ella blinked and snuck a quick look at Erin who was staring a Carli, but her jaw was set meaning Erin wasn’t happy with Carli’s question. She shifted over and offered her girlfriend a hand up. Erin eventually took it and she smiled at her and kept hold of her hand as she turned back to Carli.

“I was, now I’m not.” She answered with another casual shrug of her shoulder. Falling for Erin hadn’t been anywhere near that simple but it had worked out and they were both very happy. “We’ve been together for a couple of years now.”

Carli blinked, astounded that the Ella she knew, the one that dated the son of a pastor and kept a bible beside her bed was the same woman standing before her now holding another woman’s hand in her own. “I guess I missed a lot in six years.”

Ella chuckled and started to pull Erin along with her as she saw Randy gesture her over. She glanced back over her shoulders. “We can catch up later.”

Carli crossed her arms over her chest and grinned back at Ella. “I’ll just call Erin to arrange that shall I?”

Ella laughed out loud as she headed across the room with Erin in tow who occasionally glanced back at Carli.

Meghan made her way back from collecting her packet as well as Morgan’s and Carli’s. “So are you coming to the tryouts?” She asked as she handed Carli’s over, Morgan’s she left on the seat beside her as she was too focused on her cell phone to notice right now.

Carli thought about it for a few moments, she still didn’t really like the idea too much but it might be worth it just to put Ella through her paces after that old lady comment. “Maybe, let’s wait and see how many of us are still functional after this afternoon.” 

She’d spent four weeks with her personal trainer getting ready for today because all joking aside she was probably one of the oldest outfield players on the team if not the oldest. She didn’t just have to prove herself to her new teammates she needed to stay in condition for national team selection. She didn’t think she was at risk exactly not when they kept Abby on the team but with it being a world cup year she wasn’t going to be the one people pointed a finger at if it didn’t work out the way the team was expecting it to.

“It’ll be fun.” Meghan replied not really bothered by the prospect of mixing it with some amateurs, if it didn’t become a free for all it might just a good way to spend the late afternoon. “Besides I think half the room put their hands up.” Which meant there would be seven or eight players taking part in the game. Randy would probably split them among the two teams but she wouldn’t mind playing defence for Erin or Bianca.

“What’s Moe doing?” Carli asked as she noticed Morgan still glued to her cell phone.

Meghan sighed before snatching the device away from her friend. 

“Hey!” Morgan protected as she grabbed for it. “I was reading that.”

Meghan shook her head and put the cell in her pocket. “She’s googling Ella.”

Morgan scowled at Meghan as Carli laughed. “Give.” She told Meghan as she held her hand out.

Carli made a face. “I wouldn’t believe half the stuff you find on there, if you want to get to know her just talk to her.” 

“She’s right.” Meghan added before her eyes widened and she pulled out Morgan’s cell phone again. “I take that back, wait and see what Ella has up on Youtube!” She said excitedly as she started playing about with Morgan’s device to open up the app then type in Ella’s name.

Carli closed her eyes and shook her head then left them to it as she went to see when she was scheduled for her physical. If she had time she could catch up on some emails and maybe even get a quick workout in, now that she’d committed to playing later it wouldn't hurt to find a soccer ball around her to do some practice drills with.

As she checked her time and got directions to the training complex she looked over at Meghan and Morgan to see they’d attracted a crowd that huddled over one of the girls’ cell phones.

She left them to it wondering if Ella was ready for the amount of teasing that was going to be headed her way later.

Maybe that she’d try and capture on a recording.

Erin would probably appreciate that and not lay her out the second she ventured into the Canadian’s box during the scrimmage.

If not she was sure she had some old photos of Ella from when they played together. Those might work too. She’d have to wait and see.


	3. Chapter 3

Randy closed the door to his office and gestured for Ella to take a seat. Erin had also come along but his goalkeeper was just going to have to stand for this.

He smiled at the pair as he moved around them to take his seat. “Now, I’m sure you’re wondering why I called you in here.” He began as he opened his desk drawer and hunted something down.

Ella shrugged, giving Erin a quick look but neither of them had a clue what this was about.

“Ah, here it is.” Randy pulled the envelope out and placed it in front of him. “Okay, so, as you might have heard just now, the team have their physicals and are then put through a general fitness test. It lets our guys form a baseline to work on during preseason.”

Ella nodded familiar with the experience. 

“Right, and after that the team are done for the day so they can go and come back in tomorrow when we’ll have another team meeting and start a light training schedule. With the men’s team still in season we have to work around them for a bit but we can discuss that all later.” He went on. “What I really need to talk to you about is what you’re wearing there.”

Ella glanced down at her training top in confusion and then back up to Randy.

Randy did his best to hold in a laugh. “I might be after another few players but I think we’re doing okay in the goalkeeper department. And I’m not just saying that because Erin’s stood right there.”

Erin chuckled from her spot next to the door.

“So, anyway this is for you and if you speak to Hiro he should be able to get you the rest of your things.” Randy explained as he pushed the envelope across the desk to Ella.

Taking it hesitantly, Ella recognised it as looking the exact same as the one Erin was still holding except this one had her name on it. “I don’t…”

Randy leaned back in his chair and grinned at Ella. “I wasn’t joking with those phone calls last season kid. I wanted you on this team then and as far as I’m concerned as of now you’re on it.” He told her enjoying the look of disbelief that crossed her face. Erin however just looked immensely proud standing behind her. 

“But?”

Randy already knew what her argument was going to be and she was right. “You still need to play in the scrummage this afternoon and you’ll be placed on the roster through that, once you sign a contract, but unless you go out there and stand on the sidelines watching, then you’ve got a spot on the roster.”

Ella liked that he said roster and not team. She’d been training with Wes Knight and a few of her Canadian friends while she’d been living in Vancouver with Erin during the offseason and even while in Houston, Erin wasn’t a bad training partner. But none of that recreated game time. If she was going to get a starting spot on the team she’d have to earn it and that was just fine with her.

She smiled at her new coach and picked up the envelope. “Thanks coach.”

Randy chuckled. “Oh, don’t thank me just yet. Now go see Hiro and get your own workout gear and give Erin hers back. Number one really isn’t an outfield number but Hiro might be able to offer an alternative.” He told her smirking at his blushing goalkeeper as he gave her a pointed look. “And don’t be late for your physicals and I’ll see you both on the training ground later.”

Ella got up and turned to Erin with a huge smile on her face.

Erin grinned back at Ella and opened the door for them. She couldn’t have imagined this morning going any better than it was, now they just had to get the pain of the fitness testing out of the way and a game of soccer then they could go celebrate.

Ella was almost out of the office before she bounced a step and spun around walking back over to offer her hand out to Randy. “Thank you for taking the chance on me, I promise not to let you or this team down.” She told him.

“Welcome to the club kid.” Randy shook her hand then watched her leave this time with a shake of his head. He had a good feeling going into preseason. Last year had been a hard lesson and he’d made a lot of changes in the roster but hopefully now he and his staff were going to see all of their hard work and preparation for this oncoming season payoff better than a last place finish.

Now with that out of the way he needed to find one of the tech staff so he could arrange to have the scrimmage recorded. Normally he wouldn't bother but with half of his roster turning up to play he wanted to see what they could do out there while he tried to focus on the real trialists he had turning up today. 

xxxxx

“Did you know he was going to do that?” Ella asked her girlfriend but Erin was already shaking her head before she could finish her question. 

“Honestly, I didn’t have a clue.” Erin admitted. She’d talked to the coaches, and Randy, about Ella last season and discussed the possibility of her trying out for the team if she could convince Ella. But that had more to do with the fact that they we’re in a relationship and not wanting that to cause a problem. The last thing Erin wanted the rest of the team thinking was that as team captain and her girlfriend she’d somehow got the coaches to give Ella special treatment.

But that had been before Carli Lloyd was traded from the Flash. If there was anyone that might be accused of being favoured by the team staff it was likely to be one of the stars of the US women’s national team, not Ella.

Ella eyed her girlfriend suspiciously for a moment then couldn’t hold back her excitement any longer and jumped onto her girlfriend with a yell. “I’m in the team!” She said as Erin spun her around with a laugh.

Erin looked to make sure no one was around before quickly kissing Ella as she set her down.

“Come on, let’s get you kitted out.” Erin said knowing they still had to get through the rest of the day before she could really enjoy this moment. She hadn’t considered Randy turning down the chance to have Ella on the roster but to have it confirmed before they’d even gone through their physicals felt like a weight lifted off of her shoulders and by the beaming smile on Ella’s face she guessed her girlfriend was just as excited. 

“Do you really want your top back that badly?” Ella asked with the hint of a pout. She liked stealing Erin’s clothes, she’d been doing that for almost as long as she’d known the Canadian. Before they’d even started dating.

Erin rolled her eyes and they made their way back to the meeting room. “No comment.” She said knowing better than to complain about her girlfriend’s habit or confess that she enjoyed seeing Ella wearing her things.

Ella grumbled to herself as they walked into the room and saw most of the players were still around. She left Erin to go join them as she headed over to Hiro.

“Ah, speak to Randy?” He said with a grin, knowing exactly why she would be looking for her. 

Ella nodded still feeling a little overwhelmed that she hadn’t had to fight for a spot. She’d been psyching herself up for it, putting in weeks of intense workouts, annoyed Erin enough that she was told the keeper was taking a weekend off when the first mention of training or anything fitness or soccer related was going to get her banished to the couch for a night.

To Erin's eternal amusement her girlfriend had only lasted four hours before she’d been relegated to sleeping alone that night. Of course when it came down to it Erin had come out of their bedroom after twenty minutes and silently took her hand and dragged Ella back into their bed.

Neither of them mentioned it the following morning and Ella was just grateful Erin had been the one to cave because she’d been minutes away from begging to be let back in as it was. They both hated been separated when Erin had her national team duties so sleeping separately just for a bet wasn’t going to work for either of them knowing the other was sleeping just a few feet away.

“Yeah, he ah…” Ella lifted the envelope up that Randy had given her. “Gave me this and told me to speak to you about some training gear.”

Hiro smirked and pointed to a Nike holdall laying under the table. “That’s for you, the training tops and shorts will have your number on them when you have one.” He went over and pull the bag up onto the table and unzipped it. “You thought about that yet?” He asked then tried to remember what numbers were currently available. It being the second year they had a few freed up with waivers but then with the additions other numbers had to be allocated. It wasn’t like you could give Carli Lloyd the twenty-three shirt unless she asked for it, which she didn’t, she’d have the number ten jersey. “I think sixteen and maybe nineteen are our current lowest.” He offered.

Ella bit her lip, she hadn’t spoken to Erin about this but she knew her old number was taken, Erin had offered to speak to the player and get Ella the number if she wanted but Ella didn’t want to start off with the other players like that. Most of whom might not even remember her.

Besides, she’d had another thought regarding what number she wore. “If thirty is available I’ll take that if it’s okay.”

Hiro nodded pretty sure that number was free to use. He pulled out the two sets of shorts and training tops from Ella bag. “Just check the size is right on these, we had to take Erin at her word,” He told her with a teasing grin. He watched her quickly check them and try to cover her blush, he then took hold of them. “I should be able to get these back to you in an hour or two.”

Ella sighed as he left wondering what else Erin had been telling the staff here about her. All good things she was sure, but Chicago had been a little jarring when it came to the people in the organisation being aware of her relationship with Erin.

It was certainly different here, and so far much, much better.

With a smile she turned and headed over to the group. It was only as she got closer that she saw Erin’s blush. “What?” She asked but the other players almost as one started to gather their things and leave. Within seconds Ella found herself standing there with no one but Erin in the room with her.

She snorted at the weirdness. “Was it something I said?”

Erin cleared her throat and bit her lip, her blush only just starting to fade.

“What?” Ella could tell Erin knew exactly what was going on. 

Erin considered trying to brush it off as nothing but she didn’t want Ella spending the rest of the day wondering what it was about. “Apparently Meghan found some of those shows we did in Chicago, Morgan just asked if we started dating before I joined the show, and if we enjoyed the Beyoncé concert.”

Ella blinked.

“They were just teasing.” Erin added quickly.

Ella was quiet for a moment before taking a breath. “It’s fine. It’s just a little different, having people know about us I mean.”

Erin couldn’t help but frown.

Seeing the reaction Ella quickly shook her head. “Not in a bad way, it’s just… this is definitely not Chicago.”

Now Erin scowled. She knew Ella hadn’t left the club on the best terms with some of the staff but she hated to think that their relationship was part of the cause.

Ella reached out and squeezed Erin’s hand. “I can take a little teasing, besides I’m glad we have those videos around, reminds me of how obvious you were.” She added with a grin. It was true though, she and Erin had a lot of fun filming those episodes, especially the last one, maybe not Carm’s teasing or the peasant thing, which she was hoping to avoid here, but Erin’s singing and her playing guitar and beatboxing. That was pretty special. Every time Erin sang for her was special.

That made Erin feel better about the whole thing. She knew the other girls liked to joke around, especially B and they’re other reserve keeper Haley Carter but this was Ella’s first time with them and she wanted it to go smoothly.

She made a show of squaring her shoulders and looking mean. “Well if any of them say something out of line you let me know.” She told her girlfriend with a serious tone.

Ella couldn’t help but giggle. “Babe, I think I can handle it, besides, you were the one they were making blush.” She replied. “If you want I can have a word with them.”

Knowing when she was beaten Erin just sighed and took hold of Ella’s bag. “Let’s go check and see when we have our physicals.”

xxxxx 

“I don’t think Randy would like this.” Meghan muttered as she watched on from her exhausted spot on the hall floor.

“Shh, my money’s on Ella.” B whispered, her eyes on the last two runners.

“I’ll take that bet.” Came Morgan’s quick reply, she had every confidence in Carli’s endurance skills. Besides, Ella was sweating like mad, she had to be close to collapsing.

Another beep sounded in the hall causing Carli and Ella to sprint towards the marker on the other side of the hall.

“Both of you be quiet.” Meghan muttered fascinated by the competing women.

For a while it was just silence save the sounds of a monotonous beep that slowly got quicker as Ella and Carli had to constantly push themselves onto hitting that next mark.

B checked her watch as she felt her breathing return to normal. As with last year she was one of the first to fail to hit a mark allowing her to watch the chase from the best seat in the house. She didn’t even feel bad as she watched as one by one she was joined by the other players. It wasn’t like goalkeepers needed to run up and down the pitch during a game anyway. And being Erin McLeod’s backup meant she had even less need for that particular skill.

This season was going to be slightly different due to the World Cup but generally Bianca was fit enough to match her captain. Not this time though as Erin had outlasted more than a few of the outfield players.

Must have been one hell of an offseason.

Bianca had thought Ella had looked leaner than she remembered the forward when she had seen her with Erin that morning, but that hadn’t prepared her for the size of the woman’s guns when she saw her in the changing room after her physical.

Wow.

Bianca glanced over at Kealia, who had been that most recent addition to their watch party. “Who’s your money on?”

Kealia shrugged. She’d never met either player before so she only had what was in front of her to go on and so far she was very impressed. 

“Alright, that’ll do!” Marcelo called out as he cut the machine off mid beep. “Get some lunch and those staying for the scrimmage we’re meeting out on field at 5pm.” He ignored Ella falling like dead weight to the gym hall floor as he gathered his notes and joined Hiro before leaving the players to gather themselves.

Erin shook her head and got up to go help Ella to her feet. She grinned at Carli who was sucking in deep breath and trying to walk the burning out of her legs.

“Come on, get up.” Erin said as she offered her hand to Ella who was currently lying face down on the hardwood floor.

“Did I win?” Ella asked.

Carli snorted. “You wish.” She answered for Erin, not trusting the keeper to tell the truth. “I was ahead of you by a meter at least.”

Erin rolled her eyes and reached down to take Ella by the hand and force her up onto her feet. She knew from experience Carli had the right idea for a warm down after that much exertion. 

“This feels like a leg day, leave me, save yourself.” Ella muttered still reluctant to be moved from her spot on the floor.

Carli laughed and shook her head. “Now we know which one of us is unfit.”

Erin winced as Ella quickly got to her feet at that. “Now, now, no fighting in front of the children.” She said in an effort to prevent anything getting out of hand, and to think she was worried about comments from the Chicago shows. She’d overlooked Ella’s competitiveness. “It’s the first day of prepreseason, let’s wait and see which of you is still standing by the first game.” As soon as the word came out of her mouth Erin knew she’d said the worst possible thing to her girlfriend who was now squaring up to Carli.

Ella narrowed her eyes at the midfielder. “Okay then, deal.”

Carli crossed her arms over her chest and offered Ella an unconcerned shrug. “You’re on.”

Erin groaned to herself. That hadn’t been what she’d meant, she’d been referring to the pain and suffering Randy was sure to put them through to make sure they didn’t repeat the mistakes of last season.

No one wanted to finish bottom of the pack again.

But would either of them care to hear that right now? Probably not. 

Erin spun around and left the two of them to stare it out. Besides, she was still hungry. As she passed a few of the other players that were gathering, clearly waiting on the three of them to go to lunch.

As Bianca opened her mouth Erin quickly shook her head and waved a hand back in Ella’s and Calri’s direction. “Don’t even ask, leave them to it, I need food after that.” 

The other players glanced around at each other as Erin left, then over at where Ella and Carli were stood. No one was going anywhere near that pair right now so by silent agreement they followed after their captain.

“I won right?” Morgan asked quietly of Bianca once they were out of the gym.

Bianca laughed and kept walking to catch up with her fellow keeper.

Morgan scowled and looked at Meghan and Kealia to see what they thought.

Kealia quickly shook her head. “I’m not getting involved.”

Morgan glanced at Meghan and quirked an eyebrow at her.

Meghan pointed back towards the gym hall. “Were you not there, did you not see the two of them?” She asked her friend. “You’re a braver person than I if you can ask them which one beat the other.”

Morgan scowled again. There had to be a winner.

Kealia decided to help Morgan out. “Did you see the muscle on Ella’s arms?”

Melissa who’d been watching them quietly until now added, “Yeah, she must seriously work out.”

“Good luck.” Meghan said.

Morgan sighed and let the matter drop. “Fine, it was a tie.”

Of course Carli would say she had won, and Ella would refute that. And really there was no way to tell because you only lost when you fail to hit the next mark and they’d both made the last one, so really it had been a tie.

But no one was going to inform either of them of that either. 

“Maybe before the start of the season they could have a rematch.” Morgan muttered, her loyalty still with her teammate from the national squad.

Meghan winced at the thought of that, she was going to have trouble walking tomorrow as it was.

“Let’s keep that thought quiet for now, because if we have to take part again, I might very well hurt you.” She warned. “Remember I know where you sleep.”

Morgan pouted as the other few girls in the hallway chuckled.

Seeing her friend sad face Meghan put her arm around Morgan’s shoulders. “Tell you what if you want I’ll ask Ella if Canada got around to adopting her yet.” That would be good for a few laughs.

Morgan tried not to smile as she remembered Ella telling another Canadian player that they’d have to fly her out to Vancouver during the offseason last year. She wondered how that had went with Ella eventually semi retiring.

Maybe then she could ask if she and Erin planned to continue with the shows now that they were both on the same team once again.

They had looked fun.

She glanced at Meghan for a second wondering if her friend would have better luck asking Ella that. 

“What?” Meghan asked as she caught the look.

Morgan just kept from smiling. “Will you do me a favour?”

“Sure.” Meghan replied instantly.

Now Morgan grinned, Meghan might know where she slept but Morgan had her own tricks as well, and her best friend had just fallen for one of them.

“I’m not going to like this, am I?”

“Just remember this isn’t about you, it’s about the good of the team.”

Meghan let out a distressing sound and scuffed her feet as she walked. It was too late to back out now. “What do you want me to do?” She asked, giving Morgan her best sad eyes.

Morgan just smirked. “I’ll tell you later.” She said as the other girls just chuckled at Meghan.


	4. Chapter 4

Randy found Hiro in the conference room huddle over two laptops he had open running video of the practises that had recently ended. He’d left his assistant to set things up while he gave the women coming back tomorrow a few words of advice before regretfully informing almost twenty women that they wouldn’t be needed as politely as he could.

He was looking for a few rough diamonds that could add to his team during a season where he was going to lose half of his first team to the women’s world cup later that summer.

He’d seen a few okay players but he wasn’t sure yet.

That’s why he and Hiro would spend the next few hours going through footage they had on the seventeen women he was bring back in. Mostly women who played in the midfield and a few defenders. The attacking players had all been let go as that wasn’t a position he needed to fill and trying to convert one of those players into filling another position would have been more trouble than it was worth.

As it was he’d cut some of the seventeen by lunch and then be down to a handful that he might or might not call in to help during preseason. He knew he could get the Ace’s back in to play against as well as the boy’s team but having thirty or so players in training every day would help more.

“So what are we looking at?” Randy asked as he sat in the chair beside Hiro.

Hiro grinned and paused the two laptops mid-frame. “I wasn’t sure we got this on film, and I wasn’t even sure it was what I thought it was but watch this.” He then set both laptop to play then pointed to the right hand screen first. “There’s Carli.”

“Hmm.”

“And here you see her get the ball and go for goal.” Hiro continues as he motions from one camera angle to the other as Carli takes a shot on goal and scores past Bianca Henninger. It was a well taken shot as Carli took on two defenders and curled the ball into the top corner with Bianca not reacting quickly enough to get her hand to it.

Hiro then paused the film of the game and turned to Randy expectantly but all he got was a shrug.

“We all know that girl can score.” Randy added. “It’s why I was willing to give up Edwards.”

“You didn’t see it.” Hiro shook his head then set about getting the play back to where it had started from before. “This time watch here and ignore the play on the ball.”

Randy waited patiently and as the film replayed he kept his eyes on the spot Hiro had indicated, this game had more of the Dash players in it then the trialists so he’d been across the field taking notes from the other game with Marcelo. As he watched he saw a player from the team Carli wasn’t on, wearing a scrimmage vest, pull up short just as Carli darted passed.

“And here. You get a better look.” 

Randy’s eyes shifted to the second angle and watched as Ella pulled the players top to hold her back, both Ella and the girl were on the same team so Randy shot Hiro a confused look.

“The players name was Rita Wilkins and about five minutes prior Carli had nutmegged her on her way to scoring her third of the game. Whatever made Ella do that I’m guessing Carli Lloyd should probably be thanking her.” Hiro explained. 

“Oh.” Now Randy scowled, the last thing he needed was one of his best players getting injured at this early stage. “I don’t recall the name.” And he didn’t recognise her face.

“I subbed her out a few minutes later.” Ella had actually signalled it over to him with a determined look on her face. He watched as Ella cut Rita off during another play and had quickly made a few changes to both teams to make it less obvious that anything untoward had taken place. “I let her and another couple of girls from my group go early.”

He’d sent Rita along with another few trialists back to the locker room telling them that he’d be in touch with them later today to let them know if they were needed back or not. They weren’t, and he’d already taken care of those calls. 

Randy sighed and made a few notes to his list. “So what did you think overall?”

Hiro bit his lip before reluctantly shaking his head. “No one stood out.”

“How’d Ella play, get any shots on goal?”

Hiro chuckled. “She scored,” He assured his boss. “But what I really liked was the rest of her play on the field. She linked up well with Kealia and got back in defence even though I had her playing up front.” He busied himself resetting the game. “I know we watched her season highlights from the Red Stars but Erin wasn’t kidding when she said Ella had been taking care of herself and keeping fit since her recovery.” They were both well aware that Ella had been treated for a double hernia, one a sports hernia and the second a regular one, but hearing and seeing were two separate things. Especially when either could end an athlete’s career.

“She’s definitely in shape, I’ll give you that.” Randy said with a chuckle of his own, he’d seen the results of the physicals and the fitness testing all of his players had been put through.

“Okay so we’ll go from the start and run through the first ten minutes or so, I’ve got sections I’ll forward to after that.” Hiro said as he starting the game play from the first whistle.

“Which girls am I looking for?” Randy asked as he looked between the screens and his sheet listing the seventeen girls he had coming back in.

Hiro paused the play then glanced down at Randy’s sheet before pointing to players one by one that Randy then made a mark against. “Beckie and Tania are in the first half of the play and then Rachel and Kristie come in during the second half. I’ll point them out as we go.”

Randy nodded and made a few notes. He checked his watch realising that this was the start of a few long days for him as he tried to fill the last few roster spots before he had to announce for the season. “Okay, let’s get this done and after that we can work out a plan for tomorrow. I know some of the girls on the team aren’t coming back in to help so we could move things onto skills testing in the Dome and playing some five-a-side matches and set plays.”

“Sounds good to me.” Hiro replied as he kept his eyes on the film waiting to point out the girls he’d told Randy to bring back the next day. He was also looking forward to showing his boss a few interlinking plays some of the girls had made throughout the game.

He was starting to look forward to working with the women’s group more this year. It was a different challenge to the men’s team and he was eager to see how he could help them improve throughout the season. He’d already spent most of the off-season getting reels together of the rest of the teams in the league.

Seattle were still the team to best this year as far as he was concerned even though they lost the championship game. Behind them were Kansas City and then another three or four teams that could realistically reach the playoffs.

Teams like Boston and Sky Blue could pull off a shock win but Hiro expected those two to be fighting it out for last place. They had a few good players but he didn’t think they had the right players to be consistent enough for the season to really challenge for a higher spot.

And now it was about making sure Houston were somewhere in that middle group this time around. 

xxxxxx

“So how many do you think we’ll see tonight?” Ella asked as she helped Erin pull bags from the trunk of their car.

Erin snorted as she locked the car with half of their stuff still inside. They’d have to make at least one more trip. “You offered them free food and beer, we’ll be lucky not to have a fire marshal show up to shut the party down before morning.”

Ella rolled her eyes and followed her girlfriend into the apartment complex they had moved into over the weekend. They hadn’t bothered to bring as much down with them this season knowing their home in Vancouver was there waiting for them. But this would be their home for the next few months and after a few long days it was starting to look like it too with their bedspread from back home on their current bed, and just a few knickknacks around to give it a personal touch. 

Erin’s art supplies had been stored out of the way this time as they didn’t have a second bedroom as they had last year. They might set up a corner or something later when Erin had the urge to get creative. Maybe they’d even invite the other girls over like they had during the season they’d spent together at the Red Stars.

That had been a lot of fun and the source of constant amusement for Erin when it came to Ella’s attempts to be ‘artistic’. But it was all in good fun. And with this year, coming to the team after Erin it felt like something she’d like to try. She wanted this to be a season of hard work on the pitch but of friendship and understanding off it as well. The team had gone through a lot of changes since that first match against Portland last April, and Ella didn’t want the players to separate into groups of old and new to the team. 

An easy way for that to happen was bonding away from the training field and if that meant having everyone over to paint then she’d offer it. Or movie nights. Those had worked back in Chicago.

And then there was team dinners and parties, being in Texas last year Erin had even gone to the Rodeo with a few others on the team.

“I didn’t hear you contradict me.” She reminded her girlfriend as she opened their apartment door to the excitement of the onrushing Chihuahua who danced around their feet and whimpered as his little tail wagged furiously. “He buddie! Did you miss us? Did you?” Ella asked as she dumped her bags quickly onto the kitchen counter to kneel down and greet their fur baby properly.

Erin sighed as she was left to struggle around the pair with her heavier load. “I’ll leave you two to it while I get the rest up from the car.”

Ella paused her attention just long enough to watch Erin’s retreating form slip back out into the hall before going back to Maxwell. “Do you want a walk, is that it?” She asked as he barked at her and backed up slightly, already hearing one of his favourite words. He danced in a circle and yapped at her again. “Yeah, okay, we’ll leave mommy Erin to put all of this away, what do you say we blow this joint huh?” Ella asked with a chuckle as she stood and got his leash to take with her and a plastic bag for picking up anything he might want to leave out there. He was generally okay to be kept off his lead but they were in a new area having sought out slightly cheaper accommodation this time around due to the drop in income they would be getting with them both playing this year.

Ella wasn’t naïve enough to think she’d be offered anything more than a rookie’s salary but they’d talked and being able to play again on the same team was more than worth it to both of them. If they needed a little extra Ella would see about picking up some work as a personal trainer again or Erin would offer a few of her art pieces for sale again.

It was only for seven months, they could make it work for that long before they’d re-evaluate what priorities they had for the following year. They knew Ella would be offered a standard two year contract with the NWSL but all she could commit to was this season. Randy had been okay with that saying they could all sit down and discuss their options when the time came.

So this was it, a year back playing professionally and she’d see how she stacked up against the kids Rory Dames said would out pace her. 

As she thought about her last soccer couch she made her way back down to the ground floor with Max racing in front of her impatiently which made her smile.

“Hey gorgeous!” Erin called out as she came walking back in from the car with another load of bags in her hands.

“Aww, so sweet.” Ella replied as she placed her hand over her heart and gaze back at her girlfriend.

Erin snorted. “Wasn’t talking to you.” She informed Ella who rolled her eyes. “Hey boy, you be good out there and take care of this one, her sense of direction isn’t the best.” She said to Max as he climbed up her leg and bark at her. “You do that buddy.” Erin replied before turning to Ella. “He said he’ll try and keep you in line but no guarantees.”

Ella giggled. “Funny.” She told Erin who was looking decidedly pleased with herself. Ella glared down at their boy. “Just for that you can pick up your own poo.”

Erin laugh then pressed a kiss to Ella’s mouth as she tilted her head up to her. 

Ella smiled into the kiss and took advantage of Erin’s occupied hands by trailing her own lightly across her girlfriend’s stomach. She felt the muscles twitch and grinned as she pulled away. “Back in a bit.” She continued as she walked away slowly.

Erin stood there for a few seconds before blowing out a breath and carrying on her way back to their apartment. Ella was too good at that. She should have switched the invitation to the weekend instead, now she wasn’t going to get any alone time with Ella until much, much later.

She sighed as she started up the stair case. She knew Ella had the right idea getting everyone together, they more they got along as a unit off the pitch the easier it would be to find it on the pitch.

She’d learnt that from her national team camps. But then, she’d grown up with most of those women. At the Dash they’d have to blend newcomers with those that were around last year and even then with the world cup national team players would miss a lot of games.

Last year they had got on off the pitch but never seemed to connect on it, not often enough for it to count in close games.

Maybe this year it’d be different.

As Erin got to her apartment door her cell phone started to ring in her pocket. She struggled with opening the door, putting her bags down, and pulling the device free quickly enough to still catch the call.

“Hello?” She asked not taking time to check the number. She figured it might have been Ella complaining about their son not picking up after himself.

“There’s a cockroach in the room.” Came the measured voice that answered her.

Confused Erin checked the screen of her phone quickly. “Carli?”

“Yeah, Carli, I’m glad we got that sorted, now can you focus? I have a cockroach in my bedroom.” She repeated.

Biting her lip Erin glanced around her apartment wishing Ella was back. “And what exactly would you like me to do about that?”

“I don’t know, come kill it!”

“Why don’t you kill it?” Erin asked, completely entertained by the fact that Carli Lloyd was apparently afraid of a little bug.

“I’m not going to kill it, that’s why I called you!” Carli yelled.

“You want me to kill it?”

“That’s what I said.”

“I don’t even know where you are Carli.”

“On the couch.” Carli replied.

Erin only just stopped herself checking her own couch as she groaned. “I meant, where do you live?”

“Oh.” Carli replied. “The second floor.”

Erin took a deep breath and tried again. “What apartment building and what number?” 

The apartment building they were living in was part of a group that took up most of the block, that was a lot of homes and there was no way Erin was going anywhere without knowing exactly where to go.

“Number 239.” Carli replied slowly. “Didn’t Ella tell you already, she said you guys are right upstairs from me.”

Erin’s eyebrow hiked up. Ella had definitely forgotten to mention that Carli Lloyd was living in the same apartment building as them. “Must have missed it.” She muttered. Then louder she said, “I’ll be right there.”

“Hurry, the thing’s moving.”

"Yeah, they do that." Rolling her eyes Erin hung up the call then shook her head. 

“What’s that face for?” Ella asked seeing the look on her girlfriends face as she closed the door behind herself, Max already racing towards Erin.

“Hey boy!” Erin got down and pet her dog for a bit before standing back up. She moved across to Ella and put her arms around her waist. “Hey.”

Ella smiled and put her own arms up around Erin’s neck, giving the skin there a little scratch that got her a kiss.

One of them moaned as Erin back Ella up against the wall.

“I like this welcome home stuff.” Ella said softly and wiggled her eyebrows.

Erin grinned back at her girlfriend before dipping her head again for another kiss. This one was deliberately slow as she took her time knowing their apartment was about to start filling up with the rest of the team.

Ella heard a noise and reluctantly pulled away just as she was contemplating moving things with Erin towards their bedroom. “What was that?” She asked.

“Hmm?” Erin replied as she kissed her way down Ella’s neck.

“That noise… it’s your cell phone. Erin.”

Ella’s tone of voice was enough to make Erin pout as she shifted away to reach her cell. “Yeah?” She bit out somewhat impatiently.

“There’s two of them now!!”

Erin laughed and hung up. She’d forgotten about that. With a shake of her head she pressed a quick kiss to Ella’s lips and headed for the door.

“Where are you going?” 

Erin turned back to Ella and winked. “To save a damsel in distress.” 

She was out the door and away before Ella could gather herself enough to even ask what that meant.

Ella shook her head and looked at Max sat waiting at his empty food bowl. “She lucky she’s cute.” She told him before setting about feeding him as she wondered who this ‘damsel’ could be, and if she’d let Erin get away with going to help her.


End file.
